Thursday, 14 March 2013

A Jesuit from Argentina? Yes Please!

If I'm not wrong, out of the 432 blog posts published before this one, I have not made one non-beauty related. Excluding those un-avoidable random facts tags, of course. So I beg your pardon if you find this piece of sharing un-interesting.

I am baptised when I was a few months old, by a Jesuit priest, whom my dad has known for years. Jesuits are some of the most knowledgeable and loyal servants in the Catholic Church. I admire them dearly. Sometimes when I meditate on 'vocation', I'd think if I were born a male, Jesuit I might become one. That didn't happen, and now I choose another vocation, the matrimony.

So, today, I woke up at 6 in the morning (local/Beijing time) because I faintly heard the words 'white smoke' from the radio next door. I am glad that I did! I hurried reading news after news and watching videos on the Argentine Former Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio.

Just going to share a few remarks on Pope Francis. He was born in December, 1936, meaning he is 76 going on 77 now. Born in Argentina from Italian parents, he was trained as a chemical engineer. He can speak fluent Spanish, Italian and German. He has lived for more than 50 years with one functioning lung. (He had the other removed as a young man because of infection.)

The Firsts:
He is the first non-European pope in the modern era.
He is the first pope from the Americas.
He is the first Jesuit.
He is the first Francis.

Below is Pope Francis' first words, English translation fully quoted from Kung Kao Po, our local Catholic news agency. You can also view the video by Rome Reports.

Brothers and sisters good evening.You all know that the duty of the Conclave was to give a bishop to Rome. It seems that my brother Cardinals have gone almost to the ends of the earth to get him… but here we are. I thank you for the welcome that has come from the diocesan community of Rome.
First of all I would like to say a prayer pray for our Bishop Emeritus Benedict XVI. Let us all pray together for him, that the Lord will bless him and that our Lady will protect him.
Our Father…
Hail Mary…
Glory to the Father…
And now let us begin this journey, the Bishop and the people, this journey of the Church of Rome which presides in charity over all the Churches, a journey of brotherhood in love, of mutual trust. Let us always pray for one another. Let us pray for the whole world that there might be a great sense of brotherhood. My hope is that this journey of the Church that we begin today, together with the help of my Cardinal Vicar, may be fruitful for the evangelization of this beautiful city.
And now I would like to give the blessing. But first I want to ask you a favour. Before the Bishop blesses the people I ask that you would pray to the Lord to bless me – the prayer of the people for their Bishop. Let us say this prayer – your prayer for me – in silence.
[The Protodeacon announced that all those who received the blessing, either in person or by radio, television or by the new means of communication receive the plenary indulgence in the form established by the Church. He prayed that Almighty God protect and guard the Pope so that he may lead the Church for many years to come, and that he would grant peace to the Church throughout the world.]
[Immediately afterwards Pope Francis gave his first blessing Urbi et Orbi – To the City and to the World.]
I will now give my blessing to you and to the whole world, to all men and women of good will.
Brothers and sisters, I am leaving you. Thank you for your welcome. Pray for me and I will be with you again soon... We will see one another soon.
Tomorrow I want to go to pray to the Madonna, that she may protect Rome.
Good night and sleep well!

Can't you tell I am loving Pope Francis? I'm loving him as much as I could possibly love any other pope, really.